Allow time for consular appointment availability, document preparation, and processing before assuming a fixed relocation date. This is in addition to the time needed to prepare for the border admission step. There is no fixed total, since appointment availability and case complexity vary.
Build a two-step timeline, not a single date
Set a milestone for the consular appointment, a separate milestone for expected visa issuance, and a further buffer before the intended admission and start date. Ask the employer whether the position can accommodate delay in any one step without losing the offer. Avoid finalizing a resignation, lease termination, or move date in Canada until the visa has actually been issued, since consular timing is not fully within the applicant's control.
Build a two-step timeline rather than a single date: a milestone for the consular appointment, a second for expected issuance, and a buffer before the intended admission and start date. Appointment availability and case complexity vary, so no fixed total exists and none should be promised to an employer. Ask whether the position can accommodate a delay in any one step without the offer being lost, and get that answer before anything is set in motion.
Avoid finalising a resignation, a lease termination, or a move date until the visa has actually been issued, since consular timing is not within the applicant's control.